A Little Old World Style

The brightly colored awning at Parea (Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA) has called to me for a while now and yesterday I finally decided to stop in. Well Holy Souvlaki isn't this a hidden little gem? Parea is a Wine Bar and Café focused on European wines, especially from Greece. They have a reasonable wine list focusing on Greece, France, Italy and California. Even the California wines are crafted in an old world style. But don't let the words '"old world" fool you; this wine bar was neither stuffy nor snobby. There were certainly the yuppies and mission district hipsters present; but there was ZERO attitude factor. For starters, there was a live music. Not the "I'm the entertainment, please watch me and don't converse" type of raucous that acoustically litters so many cafes these days. Just some bald dude with tufts of white hair above his ears strumming on a guitar. Now, that's my kind of old world. Funo and I sidled up at the bar and found ourselves next to pilsner sipping gents carrying on a lively conversation in Greek. I promised then and there to make this a regular watering hole.

Our wine bar dude was pleasant, knowledgeable, and again, no attitude (I have to say I find most wine bar staff to be friendly and informed- the snobbiness comes from patrons not proprietors). We ordered flights. Here was the only disappointment, and it's a minor one. I don't want to say the wines weren't good; it's just that I don't know anything 'bout Greek wines. I have a California bred palate. I like crisp, floral whites and big reds. Their wines were subtle and subdued and geared to a palate a bit more sophisticated than mine. I doubt that I’ll ever give up my Cali-nclinations, but I’m willing to sit for hours at this comfy, casual joint and try to get my old world groove on!